Fulton ACT Scores Surpass State, National Average

Staff Report

ACT scores released today show that the Fulton County School System’s student participation in the test is rising while scores remain steady and continue to surpass state and national averages.

Approximately 50, or 3,602 students, of Fulton’s class of 2014 took the ACT, the system said in a press release.

“I’m proud that more students are taking this rigorous test and setting their sights on college,” said Superintendent Robert Avossa. “The results show that our teachers are preparing them for postsecondary success and that we’re making strides toward increased college readiness, one of our three strategic goals. We’re trending in the right direction but we still have some progress to make.”

Traditionally, scores tend to dip when the test-taking pool increases, but Fulton’s composite score remains steady at 22.6 – an achievement since 11% more students took the test last year. Participation in 2014 was at an all-time high of 3,602 students, an increase of 369 students from the previous year.

Also, the results show more Fulton test-takers have met specific College Readiness Benchmarks set by the ACT. The benchmarks are based on the grades earned by students actively enrolled in college and help to define a high school student’s likelihood of successfully passing their first-year college courses.

Thirty-eight percent (1,369) of seniors met the benchmarks by demonstrating college readiness in all four areas of the test – English, math, reading and science. This percentage was significantly higher than the state and national averages, where 24% of Georgia students and 26% of students across the nation demonstrated this same college readiness.

Fulton’s 2014 composite score remains high at 22.6 and better than the Georgia average of 20.8 and the national average of 21.0. Attached are individual school scores and system trend charts. Scores are only reported for schools with 10 or more students taking the test during the 2013-2014 school year.

Similar to the SAT, the ACT is commonly used for college admission and placement. It measures English, math, reading and science proficiency, with an optional writing section, whereas the SAT measures only math, reading and writing. Scored on a scale of 1 to 36, with 36 being the highest possible score, the test is taken voluntary by students throughout the year.

See the attached .PDF to review the system’s scores in each subject.